Big Time Broadswords at Dawn!
by Laurie Partridge
Summary: Logan challenges James to a duel after he catches James kissing Camille; Carlos lands in the hospital after good natured mischief goes awry.
1. Chapter 1

FADE-IN:

EXT. – PALM WOODS HOTEL – DAY

CUT TO:

INT. – APARTMENT 2J

Logan lays in the fetal position on his bed. He focuses on Carlos' empty bed in the semi-darkness of his bedroom. Tears stream from Logan's eyes.

LOGAN (to himself): I'm so, so sorry Carlos. If I could take it back I would. I never meant for you to get hurt.

Logan nearly jumps out of his skin as the bedroom door opens and bangs against the wall.

KENDALL: You're right, Mom. He is in here.

Kendall crosses the room and throws the blinds open. Sunlight floods into the room.

KENDALL: Wake up, piss ant!

JAMES: Rise and shine, mon ami. It's a beautiful sunny day outside: perfect weather for some serious poolside activity. Why are you holed up in here?

Logan raises his head from his pillow long enough to point his finger at James.

LOGAN: Get out of my room you girlfriend stealer!

Logan falls back on his pillow.

JAMES: Dude, what do I have to do to make this right with you? I didn't steal Camille. The kiss was an accident. We got caught up in the passion of the moment.

LOGAN: Passion? During a beach volleyball game?

JAMES: Camille scored the winning point for our team.

LOGAN: And you just _had_ to kiss her?

JAMES: You mean there's another way to celebrate winning a volleyball game?

Logan rolls his eyes.

LOGAN: You know what, James? You aren't even worth my time. I hope you and Camille will be very happy together.

Logan turns his attention back to Carlos' bed as Kendall takes Carlos' hockey helmet from the bed post.

LOGAN: What do you think you're doing?

KENDALL: Carlos asked me to bring his hockey helmet to him. He would have asked you, since you are his best friend. But you won't even come to the hospital to visit him.

LOGAN: I can't face Carlos right now.

Kendall sits on the edge of Carlos' bed across from Logan.

KENDALL: Why? It isn't because you don't care about him. Your tear-stained face tells me otherwise.

Logan quickly tries to wipe his tears away.

LOGAN: There's a saying about hindsight being twenty-twenty. If Carlos had been wearing his helmet the other night, he wouldn't be in the hospital now.

James sits next to Kendall.

JAMES: Why does Carlos want his helmet now?

KENDALL: You know Carlos. He thinks his helmet has magical powers which will help him heal quicker. Gustavo read him the riot act about how his stupidity fouled up the concert schedule through the Midwest, including a date at the Great Minnesota State Fair.

Logan sits up, his eyes wide.

LOGAN: I didn't even think about the Big Time Rush tour! Gustavo blew his top, huh?

KENDALL: How well does Gustavo take any bad news?

LOGAN: Point taken.

JAMES: Gustavo's so angry that he threatened to replace Carlos on the spot. He said he knew of five or six singers who could come in and learn our songs and replace Carlos. We can't let that happen.

KENDALL: Right. I have a plan.

Kendall tosses Carlos' hockey helmet to Logan.

KENDALL: First, I think Carlos would appreciate if his best friend and roommate brought his helmet to him. He's been asking for you, Logan.

LOGAN: He probably wants to kill me.

KENDALL: Why?

LOGAN: Because I'm responsible for what happened to him.

Kendall raises and eyebrow.

KENDALL: Carlos had a freak accident with his rocket skates. How is that your fault?

LOGAN: I was angry about Camille and this dumb head.

Logan motions toward James.

LOGAN: I stormed into my bedroom. Carlos was bouncing off the walls, all excited about finally repairing his rocket skates. He wanted me to go along with him to the pool so he could try the skates out. I told him I wasn't interested in his stupid toy, and all I wanted was to be left alone.

Logan struggles to keep fresh tears from spilling from his eyes.

LOGAN: I was so stuck in my own misery, I didn't have the time for my best friend in this world.


	2. Chapter 2

FADE-IN:

EXT. – UCLA MEDICAL CENTER – DAY

CUT TO:

INT. – HOSPITAL ROOM

Carlos lies quietly in bed watching The Power Rangers on television as his mother (SALLIE GARCIA) adjusts the bed sheets around him. She leans over the bed and gently kisses Carlos' cheek.

SALLIE: You get some rest, Sweetheart. I'm going down the hall to the vending machine to get some coffee. I'll see if I can find you some Fruit Smackers.

CARLOS: Sure, Mom.

Sallie looks over at her husband (OFFICER TED GARCIA). Ted sits in a chair next to the bed, reading a newspaper.

SALLIE: Ted, can I get you some coffee?

TED: Yes. Thank you.

Sallie exits the room. Ted puts the paper down and stares at his son.

OFFICER GARCIA: Son, have you given any more thought to what we discussed yesterday?

Carlos continues to watch television.

CARLOS: You know how I feel, Papi. My home is here in California with the guys and the band.

OFFICER GARCIA: Your mother and I think you would do well to go back to Minnesota with us where you can recuperate from your – er – accident and finish high school at Apple Valley High.

Carlos aims the remote control at the television and turns the TV off. He observes his father.

CARLOS: You mean where you and mom can keep an eye on me. You never turn that cop instinct off, Dad.

OFFICER GARCIA: Well you have to admit you pulled a pretty stupid stunt, Carlos. Maybe you need some looking after.

CARLOS: Yes. You and Gustavo made that crystal clear to me.

Logan enters the hospital room, carrying Carlos' hockey helmet. Carlos' eyes light up.

CARLOS: Logie! You brought my helmet!

Logan hands the hockey helmet to Carlos, who hugs it.

LOGAN: It's the least I could do.

Logan reaches out to shake Officer Garcia's hand.

LOGAN: Officer Garcia, nice to see you again Sir. I almost didn't recognize you without your police uniform.

Officer Garcia gets up from the chair. He laughs as he shakes Logan's hand.

OFFICER GARCIA: Nice to see you again, Logan. I guess you could say I'm on plainclothes detail today.

LOGAN: If I'm interrupting something, I could come back later.

OFFICER GARCIA: Not at all, Logan. Carlos' mother went down the hall to a vending machine for coffee. I'll go and find her.

Officer Garcia pats Logan on the shoulder.

OFFICER GARCIA: Talk to him, Logan. He's been asking for you and you can make him understand.

Officer Garcia exits the room. Logan shrugs his shoulders and turns his attention to Carlos, who cheerfully takes inventory of his injuries.

CARLOS: My skates had too much rocket, Logie. _(He touches the bandage around the head)_ Seventeen stitches and a concussion. _(He points to his legs)_ Two sprained ankles. _(He touches his chest gingerly) A couple of broken ribs)_ And _(He raises his left arm)_ A broken wrist.

Carlos taps his helmet, which he holds in his lap.

CARLOS: My skates took off so fast I didn't even have a chance to strap my helmet on. Probably could have prevented the concussion at least.

LOGAN: Oh, at least. Is it my imagination or did it seem really tense in here with your dad?

Tears form in Carlos' eyes.

CARLOS: I _really_ messed up this time, Logie. Papi and Mami want me to go back to Minnesota with them. Gustavo said I was a liability to Big Time Rush. He's even going to _replace me_!

Logan sits on the edge of the bed and hugs Carlos. The two boys have a good cry.

LOGAN: We won't let that happen, Carlos. Trust me. Kendall has a plan. Besides, _I_ messed up. I was so upset about James and Camille that I treated you horribly. Can you ever forgive me?

CARLOS: Of course I forgive you, Logie. You've been my best friend ever since Miss Krum put us together in the second grade.

Logan laughs through his tears.

LOGAN: I still remember that day. I was the geeky new kid and Miss Krum assigned me a seat next to you. You gave me a big, toothless grin – you were missing about three of your front teeth at the time – and showed me your math homework. I pointed out that five and five equaled ten and not nine. Even then I was a math geek.

CARLOS: I suppose if I had a girlfriend myself, I would have understood how you felt about Camille. Did you make up with her?

LOGAN: I want to. But I don't know how. So I let James have her.

Carlos' eyes widen.

CARLOS: Whatever for? James chases every skirt at the Palm Woods. You know it's only a matter of time before he moves on from Camille.

LOGAN: You're right, Carlos.

CARLOS: Then what are you going to do about it?

James enters the hospital room. He observes Logan and Carlos in their embrace.

JAMES: Okay, this is freaky. If you two want to be alone, I could –

Logan slides off the bed and faces James.

LOGAN _(angrily)_: Can it, James!

JAMES: Okay. So like I guess you're going to carry this Camille thing around like a grudge. Then I choose to ignore you.

James turns his attention to Carlos.

JAMES: Carlos, I saw your pop and stepmom in the hallway. Your stepmom is _hot_!

CARLOS: Dude! She's my mom!

JAMES: I bet she looks _smokin_' in a bikini.

Carlos makes a fist with his right hand and gives James an exasperated look.

CARLOS: Dude! If I didn't have two sprained ankles and a broken wrist I'd be out of this bed and pounding on your stupid face!

JAMES: Ooh, not the face Carlos. Never touch the face.

Logan grabs James, spinning James around to face him.

LOGAN: James, you're disgusting! I made a hasty decision when I let you have Camille. She is too good for you. And I have chosen to fight for her.

Logan raises his right arm.

LOGAN: I challenge you to do a duel!

James can barely keep from laughing.

JAMES: A duel? With what?

Logan pauses, deep in thought.

LOGAN: I know! Broadswords! Broadswords at dawn!

FADE OUT.


End file.
